Xuefeng Literature Museum by TJAD Atelier L+: A Poetic Tribute Rooted in Place and Memory

Honoring Literary Legacy through Contemporary Architecture

Nestled at the foot of a quiet mountain in Shentan Village, Jinhua, the Xuefeng Literature Museum by TJAD Atelier L+ is a powerful architectural homage to the life and legacy of Xuefeng Feng — a pioneering modern poet, literary theorist, and founder of the League of the Left-Wing Writers. Completed in 2022, this 4,015-square-meter structure redefines how contemporary museums engage with place, memory, and natural context.

A Museum Embedded in the Landscape

Located in a village of just around 60 households, the site of the Xuefeng Literature Museum is steeped in cultural heritage. The building sits in an excavated open area at the mountain’s base, responding sensitively to its rural environment. Rather than imposing itself, the architecture seeks integration — both formally and thermally — through strategic design choices that facilitate natural ventilation, lighting, and environmental connectivity.

A Spatial Narrative of Voids and Courtyards

TJAD Atelier L+ employed a courtyard typology, using a concept of “void and solid alternation with three-dimensional spatial connections” to break down the museum’s scale. Four internal courtyards and platform spaces punctuate the overall form, turning a monolithic structure into a village-like ensemble. These interventions strengthen the museum’s “in-situ” character, echoing the organic rhythms of the surrounding landscape and the vernacular fabric of Shentan Village.

Vertical Stratification and Floating Volumes

The museum’s massing is vertically layered to articulate hierarchy and procession. Visitors enter through an elevated ground floor that leads onto a roof platform, from which a seamless transition to the second level is made. The white plastered volumes, cantilevered over shaded voids, evoke a sensation of floating and lightness. In contrast, a dark grey folded roof references the undulating silhouette of the nearby mountains and traditional village rooftops, creating a subtle yet potent dialogue between built and natural form.

Climate-Conscious Design and Passive Strategies

The building’s longitudinal axis aligns with the dominant southeast wind direction, enabling a passive airflow system that cools and ventilates the interior naturally. Courtyards, ventilation skylights, and interwoven terraces support this thermodynamic performance, making the museum not only a cultural landmark but also an exemplar of climate-responsive design.

Interior Flow and Curated Spatial Experience

At the heart of the museum is a dramatic two-story central hall that orchestrates circulation and spatial experience. On one side, lecture halls and a café animate the public zone, while on the opposite side, exhibition halls and offices fulfill the museum's core functions. A sculptural staircase spirals around this central volume, offering visitors multiple vantage points and leading them to the second floor — home to writer residences, additional gallery spaces, and intimate reading nooks.

Views Framed by Architecture

The design curates moments of visual connection to the village and surrounding nature. Roof terraces and courtyards serve not only climatic purposes but also as strategic viewing platforms. From the southeastern terrace, visitors enjoy expansive vistas of Shentan Village and the tranquil lake — a “distant view” that metaphorically reconnects them with Xuefeng Feng’s former residence, anchoring past and present through sightlines and silence.

All Photographs are works of ZY Architectural photography